Improvement in carpet-fasteners



W. ALDRICH. Carpet Fasteners.

No. 200,421. Pa t'ented Feb. 19, 1878.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

msnmsrou D c UNITED STATES P TE T] WARREN ALnnI-oH, or LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IM PROVEM ENT IN GARPET- FA STENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,421, dated February 19, 1878; application filed July 13, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN ALDRICH, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Carpet-Fastening, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawings, Figurelrepresents a front view of my improved carpetfastening as applied to a mop-board. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section of the same on line at m, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the fastening as applied to a riser of a staircase.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide for rooms, staircases, &c., an improved device for fastening the carpet without the use of nails, tacks, stair-rods, &c., in a reliable manner, and so that they can be readily taken up for cleaning or in case of fire, and laid down again without trouble.

The invention consists of a toothed strip that is guided vertically below the mop-board of the room or along the riser of the stairs, and raised or lowered by suitable lever mechanism to release or take hold of the carpet, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing, A represents a strip of wood or metal, that is placed below the wallboard or on the riser of the stair, so as to press with its lower part upon the edge of the carpet to secure it in place. The face of the strip is made preferably in the shape of a molding when used in the room, so as to give it a more ornamental appearance; or it may be made plain when employed along the risers of a staircase, as in this case the carpet covers the strip.

To the bottom of the strip is applied a thin strip, B, having carpet-tacks or points driven through at regular distances, which project below the strip, and are forced, by the lowering of the top strip A, through the edge of the carpet. These teeth or points may also be applied directly to the main strip A.

To each section of these toothed strips are attached two or more pivoted links, 0, which are jointed to the same number of links 0' that are pivoted at the upper ends to the wall or riser, every two or more of these links being laterally connected at the joints by a horizontal bar, D, which connects the joints and moves all the links jointly, and thereby the toothed fastening-strip.

The wall or mop board E of the room covers the operating mechanism, while in staircases the carpet serves the same purpose.

In floor-carpets the strip is raised or lowered by a slide-plate, E, which is guided by pins 00 along inclined slots b of the mop-board, the slide-plate being moved by a button, E which passes through a slot, d, of the mop-board, and connects with the horizontal bar D, so as to produce the raising or lowering of the pointed strip by sliding the button and plate in one or the opposite direction.

When the carpet is fastened on a staircase the horizontal bar is operated by taking hold of one end of the same, the other end bearing against a suitable stop device.

Each section of the strip is provided near the ends with two or more wire guide-pins, F, which enter holes of the floor-tread of the stair, and serve to secure the strip in proper position and prevent it from being drawn from the strip by the stretching of the carpet. The guide-pins serve also for the purpose of moving the strip vertically up or down without lateral displacement.

The stair-carpet is taken hold of by the toothed strip on the under side, forming a plait that extends back to the corner of riser and tread, as shown in Fig. 3, and is then firmly held by the fastening without requiring stair-rods or other attachments, being at the same time fully covered by the carpet, and, like the floor-carpet, readily and quickly taken up and replaced.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with vertically-adjustable strips, of tacks driven at intervals through one strip, and having their heads held be tween two strips, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the vertically-movable fastening-strips, having projecting teeth or points, and two or more guide-pins with guide-holes of the floor or tread, substantially as specified.

l 4. Incarpet-fasteners, atoothed strip guided below the mop-board or stair-riser, as and for the purpose specified.

WARREN ALDRICH.

Witnesses:

JOHN DAVIS, J. M. FELLOWS. 

